Real Life ~ Real Women ~ Real Truth

Planting Seeds

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What do you find most challenging in your job?

I truly feel the most challenging part of my job is not being able to reach all students. I take my job very seriously and want so much to make an impact on children, but often times the outside influences are much stronger than mine. I was frustrated that I couldn’t reach Jayla.

Jayla’s mom is a single mom. She’s never met her dad and her older brother and girlfriend take care of her most of the time. Her mom’s job is unclear but Jayla says she cooks meals for a bishop. Jayla was street smart, was often a bully, and dressed completely inappropriate for an 8 years old. She looked like a 15 year old and was often disrespectful in class.

When mom couldn’t be reached by phone, I tried letters home. I never received a response. The principal called a few times, no response or call back. Once I was able to leave a message but no one returned my call. I worked hard with Jayla. I gave her chances to each lunch with me as an opportunity to get to know her better. I moved her seat so she was closer to me and I gave her leadership roles in the classroom.

She was inconsistent. She would cling to me on some days, and others she would bully girls and call them ugly. She had low self esteem, and seemed almost depressed at times. As the school year ended I reflected on Jayla and wondered why I wasn’t able to make a difference with her. Every attempt to reach her fell flat……or did it?

I look back on the journey of my life and I see the times where God was teaching me things, but I chose to look away. Seeds were planted for me along that course…through people and situations. Those seeds, combined, have blossomed and have helped me become who I am today. I may not have recognized it at the time, but it was there….and I feel God telling me that I have planted seeds with Jayla. I may not have had any huge breakthroughs with her, but I’ve planted seeds. And now God needs me to pray for those seeds to be watered for Jayla…that God would bring along people and situations in her journey to lead her to Him.

“He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” Isaiah 49:10b

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